During the southern tandem rally this year we got talking to Jack and Susan from TandemsLtd about riding motorcycles. I also noticed in TandemGeek's photo's he has what appears to be a Honda CBR1100XX in the garage. Just curious how many in the tandem community ride motorcycle as well. My wife and I both ride motorcycles. She has a Yamaha FZ6 and I ride a BMW R1150RS. For some reason she enjoys riding together on the tandem but hates to ride two-up on a motorcycle. I think it is great, but it makes for a garage full of bicycles and motorcycles with no room for a car

I used to but my last bike went down in ignominious (ya, had to look it up to make sure I spelled it right) shame. I've had the crotch rockets, sport tourers and starter bikes. My dream machine is a Honda ST1100. Second would be some other large displacement comfortable sport touring to pure touring machine. That won't happen until the kids get older and we have a little more expendable income. Until then, we are working to get our first tandem.

Before I had my first child, I rode a Honda Nighthawk. I sold it after she was born. I have a picture of her in sunglasses and leather (way too big, of course) on the bike (being held up by me) when she was about 3 weeks old. Anyway, having been an ER nurse for about 15 years, it just seemed too big a risk to take when I had a little girl who definitely needed a mommy :-) As with bicycles, a motorcyclist can be the best, safest driver on the planet, and it just takes one careless, negligent or intentionally harmful car driver to wipe you out. The only time I ever dumped the motorcycle was when a car drove up beside me (I thought he was going to pass) and gradually pushed me off the road into gravel. It was completely unexpected, but I was fortunate....I only broke my wrist. Love my bicycles! :-D

I also noticed in TandemGeek's photo's he has what appears to be a Honda CBR1100XX in the garage. Just curious how many in the tandem community ride motorcycle as well.

Rain or shine, hot or cold, on most days you'll find me riding that particular motorcycle to and from work here in the Atlanta suburbs: thank goodness for Gerbing heated riding apparel. We don't get much snow, but there are always plenty of cold wake-ups from Oct - March.

When I moved to Arizona my Harley was the only vehicle I owned. Had, a bike in college (HD Beck jacket, the whole thing) when everyone else was in a VW van. That was a while ago. I got off motorcycles to satisfy my first wife; went to a '71 LT1 'vette. Got rid of the 'vette to satisfy the second wife, got a Jag. Got rid of the Jag and second wife to keep my sanity. NO more motorbikes...

"For some reason she enjoys riding together on the tandem but hates to ride two-up on a motorcycle."

I seem to have the opposite problem: My wife's folks had a Goldwing and were avid wingdingers, so my wife got to ride a lot growing up. She really likes riding two-up on my old V-65 Magna, but hasn't really started to enjoy the tandem yet.

I think a lot of Roxann's reluctance to ride as a passenger on a motorcycle is that she doesn't feel as involved. On the tandem you work together as a team but on the motorcycle the passenger is more or less along for the ride.

Nachoman wrote "I want a motorcyle, but I feel like the day I buy one, I won't want to ride my bike anymore"

Balancing time between the two hobbies can be a problem. This year we chose to ride motorcycle more because we were planning a three week trip on motorcycles in the western US. Although we had a great trip our cycling fitness and miles on the tandem really suffered. Like Tandemgeek mentioned in his post I also commute year round unless there is snow on the roads. This at least gives me my daily motorcycle fix.

..........
Balancing time between the two hobbies can be a problem. This year we chose to ride motorcycle more because we were planning a three week trip on motorcycles in the western US. ...............

I ride a 2003 Honda VFR800 and LOVE it. However, I haven't ridden it much this year due to getting in as many cycling miiles as possible. I was finally able to top my best year yet in cycling mileage as I will hit the 3,200 mile mark this week. Woohoo for me! Now, when I retire, I hope to be getting 5k to 6k mile years. Shoot, I may have ridden my bicycle more than my motorcycle this year.

I USED to ride a donorcycle...but after 5 years of being a firefighter/medic and seeing 7+ donorcycle fatalities (why else did you think they call them donorcycles???) and numerous other non-fatal accidents, I decided to sell it.

It's amazing how much blood a human being has inside them, and how much of a mess one can make when spread over the front of a semi-truck!

I USED to ride a donorcycle...but after 5 years of being a firefighter/medic and seeing 7+ donorcycle fatalities (why else did you think they call them donorcycles???) and numerous other non-fatal accidents, I decided to sell it.

Funny, I was a rescue tech and EMT in the late 70's and early 80's and, despite what I saw, I never felt the need to give up flying, driving, walking, riding a motorcycle, OR riding a bicycle.

Sorry, I don't do emoticons... you'll just have to figure out if I'm being cynical or cute.

I USED to ride a donorcycle...but after 5 years of being a firefighter/medic and seeing 7+ donorcycle fatalities (why else did you think they call them donorcycles???) and numerous other non-fatal accidents, I decided to sell it.

many years ago i remenber reading about the tragic death of a sky jumper call Walter stainer feature in a documentary film from herzog, this guys was a carpenter that made his own skys (how cool is that) and was gold metal finisher at a few olimpics...

well.... walter dye when he slid on a bar of soap taking a shower at his own home and broke his neck,, well needless to say that reinforce my fellings and beleives that you better live life when you can because you never know how and when is going to end..

Rain or shine, hot or cold, on most days you'll find me riding that particular motorcycle to and from work here in the Atlanta suburbs: thank goodness for Gerbing heated riding apparel. We don't get much snow, but there are always plenty of cold wake-ups from Oct - March.

Well, not intentionally in the rain, but I commute daily on my R1100RT. To keep things in my favor it's ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time).

I USED to ride a donorcycle...but after 5 years of being a firefighter/medic and seeing 7+ donorcycle fatalities (why else did you think they call them donorcycles???) and numerous other non-fatal accidents, I decided to sell it.

I'm sure you've seen some ugly things. No doubt, riding a motorbike is dangerous. So is riding a bicycle. I'm a avid cyclist of 15 years, and a motorcyclist of 18 months. I think a lot of motorbike riders tip the scales into the "donor-cycle" direction by being careless, along with too much speed. And the top speed will make a motorbike fundamentally more dangerous when a crash occurs. However, it's amazing how much more exposed as a cyclist I now feel on non-shouldered roads, where I'd just be cruising safely with traffic on my scooter. In these cases, it's not clear to me that motorbikes are more dangerous than a road bike. In either case, we can be the victim of an errant driver, so it pays to keep "heads up" on what's happening around you.

Oh yeah I help the doctor teaching his classes a few times, in fact I destroy my beloved "Golem" bike Engine after i overheat the heads (way to much mud on the cooling Fins) after helping 30/40 people to lift their bikes more than ones in fact i think i lift and help about 80 bikes every time a drop my bike on the side (kick stand is usuless in the mud) to run and help somebody get out of trouble.

in a awesome day at clear creek.

and this is after "Washing" them for some time

I think I can pretty much do that all day long...

Bye my trusty friend,,, I got the bike with 6000miles and about two years later she dye with about 92,000 at the odometer, needless to say was a bumpy ride.

I'm a longtime cyclist who has LONGED for a moto for as many years as I can remember. I'm glad I've stuck with the bicycles though, 'cause if I had made the jump to motorized two-wheel transport, I may never have gone back!
I appreciate the comments of everyone - great pics, Ricardo!
But having a physician father prevented motorcycle ownership when I was young. And now with two young kids, it just doesn't seem prudent. However, I did get my license after completing the moto safety course and can legally ride now when I get the chance. (Great class - recommend it.) Dual sport type riding so I can stay away from the cars. But boy would a nice sportbike be fantastic - it's like descending all day long! (Perhaps us cyclists have a special appreciation for motorcycles because we know how much work it is to get to the top so we can enjoy carving turns on the backside.)
When the kids are older and I'm fully in the Mid-to-late life crisis will I finally give in. We'll see. It sure isn't easy being around so many cyclists who also moto. Thanks everyone for reminding me!

Funny, I was a rescue tech and EMT in the late 70's and early 80's and, despite what I saw, I never felt the need to give up flying, driving, walking, riding a motorcycle, OR riding a bicycle.

Sorry, I don't do emoticons... you'll just have to figure out if I'm being cynical or cute.

Hi TandemGeek
Sorry if I missed if you said it, but are you riding on the motorcycle with you wife. I realize that this post is 11 years old, but I recognize your name from current posts & know you still ride a tandem. My wife loves, loves, loves our tandem & wants to ride it probably more than I do. I sold my motorcycle 25 years ago & only started thinking about it recently, thinking that I'd like to slightly break-up some of our tandem riding time. My fear is that although she will be happy to try it out, if she doesn't like it I'll be on my own, which is not what I'm looking for.
I guess I know wifes are like saddles, does yours like the motorcycle?
Sorry for rambling.
Best regards,
Seth